I go shopping. Big shocker, I know. Everyday millions (billions maybe, idk the stats) of people go shopping. And I know working in retail or food service isn't the most glamorous job. And often times the people working there aren't the smartest or most mature people in the world, but there are some issues I've noticed that I think can be easily addressed.
For the love of all things holy, be nice.
Okay, I know that working these kind of jobs can be stressful, but everyone at one point in their life, and if you have a job probably all the time, has to be nice to someone even when pissed off or stressed. It happens. But being able to put that aside and do your job is a good thing. It shows maturity. Besides, I try to be as nice and polite as I can be. I say "thank you" and "you too" when told to have a nice day. I go out of my way to be a customer that makes the day suck a little less. So, please, do me a favor: be nice! Because you get paid to be nice, and I don't, so unless you want me to be a bitch to you, do your job.
This is particularly bad when you frequent a place and have to see the bitchy person a lot. Like how I can't stand the lady at Starbucks. And she seems to wait on me every time I am there. Boo! I really should just get a new Starbucks, since they are everywhere!! Maybe the sucky barristas should think about this when being rude.
Work is not social hour
One of my biggest pet peeves is when I am at the cashier, and the cashier spends most of the time chatting with a co-worker or friend. Guess what! You don't get paid to talk to your coworkers, you get paid to talk to me. So until your coworker hands their paycheck to you for talk time, pay attention to me. Besides, it's also good etiquette for your fellow coworkers, since the other good workers don't want to pick up your slack b/c you are being a chatty Kathy. That will cause them to talk trash about you behind your back. :P
Your merchandise sucks, so leave me alone!
Sometimes, I like to do some browsing, especially when I go to a store I have never been to, or I am just killing time. And when I browse, I might leave the store in 2 seconds because there's nothing interesting to me. So, I can't stand it when I enter just to look around, and the employees hover. Say hi, ask me if I need help, fine. But when I say I am just looking, leave me alone!! If I need help I will ask. Otherwise, I feel uncomfortable when you won't leave me alone. It's even worse when you walk into a store and soon realize the merchandise is too expensive or butt ugly, or both. Because then I have to feel awkward and somehow end the conversation so I can sneak out without being rude. Oh, and recently I felt compelled to try something expensive and butt ugly on, just to appease the stupid store clerk. Boo! I can't take the pressure! Leave me alone already!!
But let's change perspective here for a bit, because while some people suck at their customer service, some people just suck as customers, so having worked in retail, I have some pet peeves of customers.
For the love of all things holy, be nice.
When you have to talk to people all day, and often times be on your feet all day, it can be exhausting. So, it doesn't help when customers are douchbags!! Unless it's one of the few occasions where the particular business and/or employee has pissed you off, be nice. It's not those people's fault your spouse pissed you off or you had a bad day at work. It's a normal, decent person thing to be nice even when you aren't in the best mood. Also, it will increase your service because employees like getting positive customers.
Your mom doesn't work here, so clean up after yourself
I get really frustrated as a customer when I go to a store and it's thrashed. And it's a million times more frustrating when you are an employee and have to clean up the mess. So, I have some advice. Retail employees have enough time (maybe) to either help you with your inquiry or clean up after your mess. So do them a favor and either put things back or leave them alone! It's not hard. They even have places where you can place merchandise you don't want, so don't stash it wherever. Fitting rooms are the worst!! Don't be a douchbag and leave the things you try on in the fitting room. There's a rack for that. The worst is when people are super douchy and lazy and leave the merchandise all over the floor. I swear, some retail employee should find the office you work in, go there, and throw your files all over the floor. Then maybe next time you will have some more consideration when you try stuff on. Personally, when I go to fitting rooms, I try to find a room where someone left their stuff, so that when I am done I take me stuff and their stuff to the rack. I know what a nightmare fitting rooms can be, so I like to help out a bit.
Terrible parents
No matter if you are an employee or even a shopper, irresponsible parents are the worst!! I can't stand when parents are mean to their kids in stores. I really just want to give them a piece of my mind (since I can't slap them or call CPS). Your baby is crying nonstop for an hour while you shop? Hmmmm... Maybe you should take it home and take care of it!!!
But the most annoying thing is when parents lose track of their children. Kids are messy, and like to throw stuff around. It's not the employee's job to watch and clean up after your kids. I swear, anytime a kid gets lost, they should become wards of the store, and given out to better homes. That'll teach parents to mind their kids. Oh, and btw, the store intercom is not a toy!! >_<
But really, people, it's not that hard to be a little nicer. If we all just watched ourselves, then we wouldn't have to worry whether the person we are interacting with is a jerk. It's not that hard. Seriously!
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Because Eventually I'll Hate Every Song Ever
Like many people, I watch a lot of TV shows, and since I don't actually have cable, my preferred method is using Hulu and Netflix. And, truth be told, I enjoy watching a season straight through. I think I've lost the patience to wait a week for the next episode of a show I like. That's why I like to stream shows that have already ended, so there's no waiting for the next episode or the next season.
However, I have encountered a problem with watching a whole season through (in maybe a couple weeks, perhaps less if I have the time and insanity.) This problem has to do with TV theme songs.
Now, TV has a great history with theme songs. Many of them are memorable, and I have plenty of them in my music collection. My personal favorite in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer theme, since it rocks. There are definitely some good ones out there, and since they are from a TV show, the songs can bring back some fond memories. Of course, there are some theme songs that make me cringe and want to grind my teeth. Any time I hear the Dawson's Creek theme song I get twitchy. Eek!
I used to like it when they made songs the theme for a show, like you take a song it becomes popular because of the show, or you take a popular song to help a show be popular. Of course, there are those TV themes that are from songs, but you couldn't actually name or sing a significant part of the song w/o wikipedia. Like how the Scrubs theme was a full song, but I didn't realize that until they played the whole thing once. Or like the time I heard the whole, weird song that they took the House theme from.
Later, I decided that the best themes were songs made specifically for the show. I think that gives the theme a little more of a personal touch, because it was made to fit the show.
But then, the time of the DVD and streaming video allowed me to watch multiple episodes in a day, a week, a month. And that's how I've grown to dislike most TV show theme songs. Some still hold up after many episodes. I still enjoy the How I Met Your Mother theme, despite more than once watching 6-7 seasons in a row (over the course of a couple months, maybe less, I don't remember). I can now however pretty much sing the whole song, despite not having actual lyrics. And I have yet to grow tired of the Doctor Who theme. Maybe it's because I love Doctor Who too, or because it's short, or it's good, idk.
However, there are some themes that now drive me nuts. I have, have, have to skip pass the Bones theme, because it makes me angry. Just hearing it makes me edgy. And even though I only binge watched one season, the New Girl theme (despite it usually being REALLY short), is probably the most irritating of all time. >_<
I much appreciate Smash and Glee, since there's really no big to do. Maybe it's because they are shows full of songs, they don't need theme songs. But my favorite TV theme, and I use that word very broadly, is from Lost. Yes, Lost. That short "bong" noise, a flash of the title, and then one to the show. No fuss, no muss, nothing obnoxious to get in your head. Perfection!
Now, idk if I am necessarily advocating for the eradication of TV theme songs. I do enjoy many of them, and they can be fun when they pop up on my iTunes. However, at the very least someone needs to change how the themes are put on the DVD's and streaming. Really, if the show is on DVD or streaming you really don't need the theme EVERY episode. How about once a disc, every 4-5 episodes or so, or maybe even just once a season. And for shows w/ longer themes, you could at least cut them down or out once in awhile for those that watch each week. (But let's avoid making the short version too annoying, otherwise it'll be like when I walk around unintentionally going "It's Jess" and then wanting to punch myself in the face.) Or, alternatively they could just write songs so awesome that you don't mind listening to them 100 times in a week (if such a song exists).
However, I have encountered a problem with watching a whole season through (in maybe a couple weeks, perhaps less if I have the time and insanity.) This problem has to do with TV theme songs.
Now, TV has a great history with theme songs. Many of them are memorable, and I have plenty of them in my music collection. My personal favorite in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer theme, since it rocks. There are definitely some good ones out there, and since they are from a TV show, the songs can bring back some fond memories. Of course, there are some theme songs that make me cringe and want to grind my teeth. Any time I hear the Dawson's Creek theme song I get twitchy. Eek!
I used to like it when they made songs the theme for a show, like you take a song it becomes popular because of the show, or you take a popular song to help a show be popular. Of course, there are those TV themes that are from songs, but you couldn't actually name or sing a significant part of the song w/o wikipedia. Like how the Scrubs theme was a full song, but I didn't realize that until they played the whole thing once. Or like the time I heard the whole, weird song that they took the House theme from.
Later, I decided that the best themes were songs made specifically for the show. I think that gives the theme a little more of a personal touch, because it was made to fit the show.
But then, the time of the DVD and streaming video allowed me to watch multiple episodes in a day, a week, a month. And that's how I've grown to dislike most TV show theme songs. Some still hold up after many episodes. I still enjoy the How I Met Your Mother theme, despite more than once watching 6-7 seasons in a row (over the course of a couple months, maybe less, I don't remember). I can now however pretty much sing the whole song, despite not having actual lyrics. And I have yet to grow tired of the Doctor Who theme. Maybe it's because I love Doctor Who too, or because it's short, or it's good, idk.
However, there are some themes that now drive me nuts. I have, have, have to skip pass the Bones theme, because it makes me angry. Just hearing it makes me edgy. And even though I only binge watched one season, the New Girl theme (despite it usually being REALLY short), is probably the most irritating of all time. >_<
I much appreciate Smash and Glee, since there's really no big to do. Maybe it's because they are shows full of songs, they don't need theme songs. But my favorite TV theme, and I use that word very broadly, is from Lost. Yes, Lost. That short "bong" noise, a flash of the title, and then one to the show. No fuss, no muss, nothing obnoxious to get in your head. Perfection!
Now, idk if I am necessarily advocating for the eradication of TV theme songs. I do enjoy many of them, and they can be fun when they pop up on my iTunes. However, at the very least someone needs to change how the themes are put on the DVD's and streaming. Really, if the show is on DVD or streaming you really don't need the theme EVERY episode. How about once a disc, every 4-5 episodes or so, or maybe even just once a season. And for shows w/ longer themes, you could at least cut them down or out once in awhile for those that watch each week. (But let's avoid making the short version too annoying, otherwise it'll be like when I walk around unintentionally going "It's Jess" and then wanting to punch myself in the face.) Or, alternatively they could just write songs so awesome that you don't mind listening to them 100 times in a week (if such a song exists).
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Thanks, But I Don't Need a Song to Remind Me How to Spell Banana
I have a number of pet peeves. One of them is the quickness and unfairness with which fans call musical artists sellouts. I think people are way too quick to label artists with this word without really thinking about it, or the use being fair.
I thinking my dislike of this stemmed from the hypocrisy of fans sometimes. Fans complain about how their favorite bands never get recognition, opportunities, or radio play. But then sometimes once that happens, suddenly the fans turn on the artists and call them sellouts. That seems weird, right? You got what you want, but know you hate them.
Let's set some parameters. Obviously, you have to have some standards before you can be called sellouts. No one is ever going to call Justin Beiber a sellout. He had nothing to sellout to begin with; he started out as commercial crap. Really, sellouts are artists that had some artistic credit, whatever and then gave it up for commercial success. I see it as an artist made music from their soul, whether alone or with a band or group, and then decided to make crap that is a dime-a-dozen, something anyone can release and is made just to cash in on music trends. Given this idea in mind, I've got some realities to explain to people that hopefully will curb their use of the term sellout. Otherwise, the word loses it's power. The word should be reserved for those who really deserve it, and should retain the power it has as an insult to one's art.
People often get mad that artists sellout because their music is used in commercials (and movies too? Idk about this or not). I have no issues w/ music being in movies, even big commercial ones. If a film or TV maker can appreciate how awesome a song is, even from a non-mainstream artist, then more power to them. However, I think the real issue people have is w/ music in commercials. If your song is used to hawk cars, or laundry detergent, or some other item, suddenly people bust out the sellout word. Egad!! 1st of all, that's kind of common now. Maybe you should cut someone a break when they do this, maybe depending on the product. 2nd, there is the pesky thing called copyrights. Put simply, an artist my own the rights to their song, like the notes and lyrics, but they can make a track recording and someone else, say a record company or whatever, can own the rights to that particular track recording. Idk how or from whom the commercial making people get songs, but it's possible that they buy the rights from the track owner, regardless of what the artist would do. So before you call an artist a sellout b/c their song is in a pretentious commercial, maybe think to learn who actually profited from the rights. Hmm, something to think on.
Another thing people may not think about: artists get older. You may blast an artist you loved as a sellout b/c their new music is milder, and maybe that gets them more mainstream attention. You may claim it's b/c they sold out. However, it may just be that your favorite artist just mellowed with old again. It happens to a lot of artists. Think about it. Many artists I listen to start from very emotional places. Some artists write music about young love, which can feel full of turmoil and deep, gut wrenching emotions. Some artists make music about their life issues, like addictions, criminal trouble, growing up in bad neighborhoods, mental/emotional illnesses. These can be huge issues that make for great music, and are a great way for these artists to make beauty out of badness. But often what happens is whatever influenced them to write gets better, or isn't there anymore. They get recognition and help that comes from getting their art out, and while that improves their lives, it also could affect their music. Also, a people tend to mellow w/ age, love becomes less tumultuous and changes w/ age, and that can mellow music. For example, it's hard for an artist that made music from a place of anger at 19 to continue that same way as a happily married person w/ kids at 27. It's been said to me once by a friend of a band we like that the music went downhill when the singer got sober. I whole-heartedly support sobriety, but in truth changes in life affect art. So, before you judge your favorite artist for their change, maybe invest some time in learning about their life changes. You may just better appreciate them.
Your favorite artist getting more opportunities does not make them a sellout. One of the perks of becoming successful as a musician is that you get more opportunities to work w/ other artists or do other things that can be cool and not available to all artists. And often this can lead to interesting collaborations that perhaps produces music that is different than what has come before. Or maybe the artist pops up in films or TV, or gets to play for other well-known people. Things like this doesn't make your artists a sellout. As a devoted fan, you should be excited for your artist, that they get these changes. Granted, there some opportunities that are sellout worthy, especially if motivated by purely financial gain. But if some other famous artist in maybe another genre wants to collaborate, that could be a cool experience, and should be seen as good.
So, I hope that maybe people should give their favorite artists more credit. Honestly, I think that use of sellout sometimes comes from a vulnerable place. People become really attached to their favorite musical artists. Music is such a beautiful, personal, soul-reaching wonderful thing that people feel connections with artists despite never meeting them or talking to them. And it can worry fans if their artist changes too much, or gives in to commercialism w/o integrity. Sometimes it's almost as if what your favorite artist does reflects on you. It's like guilt by association, and selling out can make a fan feel betrayed.
Now, given the above discussion, I do think there are people who deserve being called sellouts. I personally have one example that I use personally to judge selloutdom against. If you can't guess from the title, to me the epitome of a sellout is Gwen Stefani. I was a huge, HUGE fan of Tragic Kingdom. That album was so good. And while I was not really into the next album, I respected it; they went in a respectable direction. I also liked the band's back story, how Gwen took over singing b/c, if I remember correctly, her brother was the singer but something happened. It was very sweet. But then there were some issues w/ her over shadowing the band, and while it looked for a little while that she was working on correcting that, next thing you know the band is making weird music that is totally different, and seems to be steered by whatever Gwen was doing outside the band. And then she's doing solo music, which is my opinion is terrible. It was catchy and many people into mainstream music loved it, but it's torture for me to listen to. It almost literally hurts me. It was just that music that gets made b/c it's trendy, and empty. Maybe I am like other people in other situations and I don't understand the whole story, but from my perspective it looks like a lead singer went solo to monopolize on a fad sound with music that has no substances. I don't believe that being popular in the mainstream is mutually exclusive of having substance; many popular artists to have substance, which usually goes to great skill or sometimes just great timing. But there are obviously artists that mimic what's popular w/o really having heart in it, or have others right generic songs for them, and it's sad. And honestly, as a listener, I think I can tell the difference.
I thinking my dislike of this stemmed from the hypocrisy of fans sometimes. Fans complain about how their favorite bands never get recognition, opportunities, or radio play. But then sometimes once that happens, suddenly the fans turn on the artists and call them sellouts. That seems weird, right? You got what you want, but know you hate them.
Let's set some parameters. Obviously, you have to have some standards before you can be called sellouts. No one is ever going to call Justin Beiber a sellout. He had nothing to sellout to begin with; he started out as commercial crap. Really, sellouts are artists that had some artistic credit, whatever and then gave it up for commercial success. I see it as an artist made music from their soul, whether alone or with a band or group, and then decided to make crap that is a dime-a-dozen, something anyone can release and is made just to cash in on music trends. Given this idea in mind, I've got some realities to explain to people that hopefully will curb their use of the term sellout. Otherwise, the word loses it's power. The word should be reserved for those who really deserve it, and should retain the power it has as an insult to one's art.
People often get mad that artists sellout because their music is used in commercials (and movies too? Idk about this or not). I have no issues w/ music being in movies, even big commercial ones. If a film or TV maker can appreciate how awesome a song is, even from a non-mainstream artist, then more power to them. However, I think the real issue people have is w/ music in commercials. If your song is used to hawk cars, or laundry detergent, or some other item, suddenly people bust out the sellout word. Egad!! 1st of all, that's kind of common now. Maybe you should cut someone a break when they do this, maybe depending on the product. 2nd, there is the pesky thing called copyrights. Put simply, an artist my own the rights to their song, like the notes and lyrics, but they can make a track recording and someone else, say a record company or whatever, can own the rights to that particular track recording. Idk how or from whom the commercial making people get songs, but it's possible that they buy the rights from the track owner, regardless of what the artist would do. So before you call an artist a sellout b/c their song is in a pretentious commercial, maybe think to learn who actually profited from the rights. Hmm, something to think on.
Another thing people may not think about: artists get older. You may blast an artist you loved as a sellout b/c their new music is milder, and maybe that gets them more mainstream attention. You may claim it's b/c they sold out. However, it may just be that your favorite artist just mellowed with old again. It happens to a lot of artists. Think about it. Many artists I listen to start from very emotional places. Some artists write music about young love, which can feel full of turmoil and deep, gut wrenching emotions. Some artists make music about their life issues, like addictions, criminal trouble, growing up in bad neighborhoods, mental/emotional illnesses. These can be huge issues that make for great music, and are a great way for these artists to make beauty out of badness. But often what happens is whatever influenced them to write gets better, or isn't there anymore. They get recognition and help that comes from getting their art out, and while that improves their lives, it also could affect their music. Also, a people tend to mellow w/ age, love becomes less tumultuous and changes w/ age, and that can mellow music. For example, it's hard for an artist that made music from a place of anger at 19 to continue that same way as a happily married person w/ kids at 27. It's been said to me once by a friend of a band we like that the music went downhill when the singer got sober. I whole-heartedly support sobriety, but in truth changes in life affect art. So, before you judge your favorite artist for their change, maybe invest some time in learning about their life changes. You may just better appreciate them.
Your favorite artist getting more opportunities does not make them a sellout. One of the perks of becoming successful as a musician is that you get more opportunities to work w/ other artists or do other things that can be cool and not available to all artists. And often this can lead to interesting collaborations that perhaps produces music that is different than what has come before. Or maybe the artist pops up in films or TV, or gets to play for other well-known people. Things like this doesn't make your artists a sellout. As a devoted fan, you should be excited for your artist, that they get these changes. Granted, there some opportunities that are sellout worthy, especially if motivated by purely financial gain. But if some other famous artist in maybe another genre wants to collaborate, that could be a cool experience, and should be seen as good.
So, I hope that maybe people should give their favorite artists more credit. Honestly, I think that use of sellout sometimes comes from a vulnerable place. People become really attached to their favorite musical artists. Music is such a beautiful, personal, soul-reaching wonderful thing that people feel connections with artists despite never meeting them or talking to them. And it can worry fans if their artist changes too much, or gives in to commercialism w/o integrity. Sometimes it's almost as if what your favorite artist does reflects on you. It's like guilt by association, and selling out can make a fan feel betrayed.
Now, given the above discussion, I do think there are people who deserve being called sellouts. I personally have one example that I use personally to judge selloutdom against. If you can't guess from the title, to me the epitome of a sellout is Gwen Stefani. I was a huge, HUGE fan of Tragic Kingdom. That album was so good. And while I was not really into the next album, I respected it; they went in a respectable direction. I also liked the band's back story, how Gwen took over singing b/c, if I remember correctly, her brother was the singer but something happened. It was very sweet. But then there were some issues w/ her over shadowing the band, and while it looked for a little while that she was working on correcting that, next thing you know the band is making weird music that is totally different, and seems to be steered by whatever Gwen was doing outside the band. And then she's doing solo music, which is my opinion is terrible. It was catchy and many people into mainstream music loved it, but it's torture for me to listen to. It almost literally hurts me. It was just that music that gets made b/c it's trendy, and empty. Maybe I am like other people in other situations and I don't understand the whole story, but from my perspective it looks like a lead singer went solo to monopolize on a fad sound with music that has no substances. I don't believe that being popular in the mainstream is mutually exclusive of having substance; many popular artists to have substance, which usually goes to great skill or sometimes just great timing. But there are obviously artists that mimic what's popular w/o really having heart in it, or have others right generic songs for them, and it's sad. And honestly, as a listener, I think I can tell the difference.
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